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Just remember, strobes are not permitted during the Thresher Shark dives.

Stu

Thanks Stu, I have seen it in the previous post somewhere. Does it include torch and other lights? This should be the first thing for dive operators to mention but I guess it has detrimental effect on the booking.

North of Bali would be my choice too but I haven't been there around Dec-Jan so I can't confirm about the weather.

For diving in Thailand during Nov to May period, it's better to be on the west side (Andaman side) of the peninsular as it is sheltered from the south east monsoon. Most of the best dive sites in thailand (i.e. Similan islands, Richelieu Pinnacle, Hin Dang Hin Muang) are accessible by liveaboards leaving from Phuket. If you go with the non-diver, it's probably best to stay at a resort and take a dayboat trip to the local dive sites. A lot of resorts in that region can offer scuba diving as part of their services.

For diving at similan Islands you should stay around Phuket or Khao Lak areas as Similan Islands is part of the National Marine park so there isn't any private resort or dive ops on the island. However, you can stay in bungalows or tent run by the national park on Island no.4 (and 8??) but they are pretty basic without a/c. Electricity comes from the generator which is turned on for a few hours after sunset. Depending on what you're after - Khao lak is a smaller,quieter and less develop place than Phuket. However, there are more to do around Phuket.

If you prefer a quieter place away from the hustle and bustle of Phuket with a decent dive, then try Koh Lanta. It's relatively close to Hin Dang Hin Muang so daytrip diving is possible. There are a few reputable dive shops on the island like godive lanta. There are also numerous resorts ranging from expensive like Pimalai to mid-range such as Baan Laanta to fisherman cottages. From Singapore you can take a flight to Krabi and get to the island by minicab (and ferry) in an hour from the airport. Alternatively, you can fly to Phuket and it takes 3.5 hours by boat to get there.

Another place you can also look at is Koh Raya. It is a smallish island on the south of Phuket with 3-4 upmarket resorts. It's a relatively very easy journey. The beach is pure white and the diving around the island is quite good.

Many many thanks for both of the swift and detailed answers. We've just booked our flight today and I can't wait to go. We checked with exotic and the rooms are not available already (may be because it's chinese new year that weekend?). So we are looking at Mangrove Oriental but I've heard it's a trek getting to the dive shop every morning.

I guess no electricity during the day can be a nuisance for charging batteries but I can bring a few extra rechargable batches and chargers to make the most of it during the night. Does the shower work when the electricity is turned off? I'd need to change the lense between the dives and would need to rinse it during the day.